Fourth meeting of the EU Member State Expert Group on Ocean Observation

25 September, 2025

The Commission has started work on an ocean observation initiative to achieve a common EU approach for measuring once and using the data for many purposes through joint planning of observation activities and a framework for collaboration on a national and EU scale. On this basis an expert group was set up to advise the Commission. The experts act as focal points for all government departments in their countries that undertake, commission or oblige ocean observation. This was the fourth meeting of the expert group. 

Contents

1..... Participation. 1

2..... The Ocean Pact 1

3..... EU projects to support a more coherent approach to ocean observation. 2

3.1.     Study on coordination and synergies. 2

3.2.     Best Practice in Ocean Observation. 2

3.3.     The Ocean Observation Digital Platform.. 3

4..... Role of Regional Sea Conventions in ocean observation. 3

4.1.     Black Sea Commission. 3

4.2.     UNEP/MAP. 4

5..... National Coordination on Ocean Observation. 4

5.1.     Germany (updates) 4

5.2.     Bulgaria  4

5.3.     Croatia  5

5.4.     Sweden  5

6..... Progress on National Charts. 5

7..... Next Meeting. 6

1. Participation

2. The Ocean Pact

The Ocean Pact, adopted by the Commission in June 2025, recognises the centrality of ocean observation to ocean protection and the blue economy. It sets out steps towards a more efficient value chain, from observation through to a European Digital Twin Ocean. Its implementation will require contributions from different departments of Commission.

In response to a question from Germany about upcoming legal proposals, MARE confirmed that it is aiming for a revision of the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive for late 2026 as part of an Ocean Act that could also cover other issues, including ocean observation governance. 

We therefore need to set up an appropriate governance with an overarching vision that can also take account of developments in fisheries and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

3. EU projects to support a more coherent approach to ocean observation

   1. Study on coordination and synergies

Evaluation has begun of bids to analyse and enhance coordination of ocean observation. Work will include providing overviews and structuring the results in a database, analysing requirements for licensing and permitting coastal and offshore facilities and presenting the results to stakeholders, and proposing methodologies to develop coordination and synergies on Ocean Observation, while respecting the relevant legal frameworks in place in the different Member States. The study will begin shortly and last for 30 months.

1. Best Practice in Ocean Observation

A beta version of the on-line database for best practice in ocean observation that was presented to the expert group a year previously, is now on-line. The majority of practices are managed by intergovernmental organizations with significant contributions from HELCOM and OSPAR. It includes 85 records where the owners have been interviewed, and the practices approved at least to level 4. This means that they are used by multiple institutions, understandable to non-experts, employ standardised formats and include guidelines for evolution. 

A stakeholder workshop had appreciated the user-friendly interface and urged that the database evolve into a sustainable, community-driven system that balances scientific depth with policy relevance and technical usability.

Italy asked what the relationship was with the platform developed by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Ocean Commission (IOC). MARE replied that they are linked and some of the people involved are the same. The IOC one is larger, with 20 times more practices, and covers wider issues than observation. The EU one has better quality control and includes metadata that allows more effective searching. Greece said that the IOC platform was plagued by chronic underfunding. Frequently it was not possible to fix technical issues. The challenge is to maintain the platform. DG MARE replied that they are aware of this and are looking at options. 

Germany considered that hosting the best practices on an EU platform gave them more credibility that could eventually allow them to be recommended for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive or adopted by a consensus of Member States. 

Malta wished they had been kept more involved in this and other projects aimed at increasing the efficiency of ocean observation. DG MARE replied that they could proactively inform this Group of relevant events and milestones rather than only posting details on the Commission’s web-pages.

2. The Ocean Observation Digital Platform

Development has begun now on the digital platform that will underpin the coherent and standardised approach to planning and implementing ocean observation campaigns envisaged by the Ocean Pact. It will be led by GeoSolutions (Italy). RBINS (Belgium) will provide support on data models and stakeholder engagement, NOS (Portugal) on cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity and MBI (Italy) on a module for extracting data and reports.

Those planning ocean observation campaigns will be able to document their plans through a user-friendly interface that will ensure interoperability through controlled vocabularies and dictionaries, reference geospatial databases and integration with EU registries and vocabularies. It will be capable of importing plans prepared with other platforms, including one developed for the Data Collection Framework in fisheries. A module for submission of plans will be available for testing by selected stakeholders in May 2026 and an extraction module in January 2027. 

Germany asked whether GeoSolutions would regularly be invited to the meetings. MARE replied that it may need to be more than this. The two expert meetings a year might not be sufficient. 

Norway warned that this is not an easy task. They had been trying to set up a similar process for the past 5 years.

4. Role of Regional Sea Conventions in ocean observation

   1. Black Sea Commission

The Bucharest Convention, the regional sea convention for the Black Sea basin was signed in Bucharest in 1992 and ratified in 1994. Its objective is to prevent, reduce and control the pollution in the Black Sea – both from land-based sources and maritime transport. The Strategic Action Plan (SAP) adopted in 1996 and amended in 2009 follows 3 environmental approaches - integrated coastal zone management, the ecosystem approach and integrated river basin management. The new Black Sea Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Program (BSIMAP) 2023-2028 will include new pollutants such as noise and litter in order to align with MSFD.

Sustainability of measurements is a challenge. Some surveys are seasonal, not all countries are covered and data are not completely harmonised. The Commission therefore aims to benefit as much as possible from best practice of other bodies. Memoranda of Understanding have been signed with UNEP/MAP, the International Commission on the Protection of the Danube River and the chemistry team of EMODnet. There are relations with other two regional sea conventions and they aim to extend their arrangements with other EMODnet teams.

Bulgaria reported that Euroargo is now providing valuable coverage of the open sea. As well as dissolved oxygen, there are now two biogeochemical floats.

3. UNEP/MAP

The Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention endorsed the 2023 Mediterranean Quality Status Report (QSR) in Dec. 2023 (COP23, Portoroz, Slovenia) which assessed the environment status in line with the respective IMAP indicators. There is high level of alignment between the IMAP indicators and those of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. 

Currently UNEP/MAP and its Contracting Parties are progressing towards preparing the Ecosystem Approach (EcAp) Policy and Roadmap and the Third Cycle of the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme for the Mediterranean Sea and Coast and Related Assessment Criteria, for the next 10-year period, till 2035. This process is expected to be finalized by December 2025, at COP24 (Cairo, Egypt).

The IMAP Info System is the regional data repository providing information to the public with a restricted section to the Parties. Reporting has significantly improved however there is a need for more uniform long-term monitoring.

5. National Coordination on Ocean Observation

   1. Germany (updates)

Germany has made some progress. A National Ocean Observing and Monitoring Group “EU Mission: Restore our Oceans and Waters” has been set up that groups the Federal Ministries of Research, Environment, Transport (primarily responsible for spatial planning outside the territorial waters) and fisheries. The fourth meeting on 2 October will be an opportunity to discuss ocean observation in the national and European context and report back on this expert meeting.

An expert wondered whether a co-funding association similar to the COST European coordination of science and technology could bring closer coordination. Formula such as this could be discussed in the next meeting.

4. Bulgaria

Bulgaria operates five observing systems – 11 Argo floats, 12 moored wave buoys, coastal sea-level radars, moored stations at Brgas and Varna and two coastal stations equipped with state-of-the-art water quality instruments. Nearly all of this data is delivered in real time. Work is underway to deliver it through a common portal.

Greece congratulated Bulgaria on managing to expand and improve their observing network at a time of tight budgets. He asked whether it is an observing system or a research infrastructure that has an observing component. They are different. Bulgaria replied that there is no legislation on an observing system, so they use the national research infrastructure to continuously collect data and publishing them in real time. It works like an observing system.

In reply to a question from MARE, Bulgaria does report to EMODnet, with some of the physics data provided in real time.

5. Croatia

There is no overall ocean observation strategy in Croatia. Regional, national, and international cooperation depends on individual fixed-term projects. Hydrography is the exception. As one might expect with Croatia’s complicated coastline the national hydrographic office has a special status.

Other than this, ocean observation is mostly carried out by scientific institutes under contract from ministerial bodies.

When asked by MARE about the availability of data, Croatia reported that the picture was mixed. Many scientists wished to hold on to their data until they had published their results.

6. Sweden

Sweden explained who is responsible for what in ocean observation along the lines of the JPI chart template. They covered levels going from ministries, through legal framework, agencies, variables, data storage to data dissemination. Although not included in the chart, Sweden has extensive infrastructure including an icebreaker. 

They considered the charts a necessary simplification. In reality it is more complex. The institute responsible for reporting is normally not the one doing the measurements, not the one archiving the data and not the one assembling the data for the report. 

MARE noted that the Ministry of Defence was involved and asked whether any of their role was measuring ocean variables or monitoring human activity.

Sweden replied they would have to come back later to provide a more complete description of the situation for pipelines and cables but there is an ongoing overall review of what can be open and what cannot. Hydrographic offices are under the Ministry of Defence and share the general military antipathy to open data.

6. Progress on National Charts

JPI Oceans had introduced “National Charts on Ocean Observing and Monitoring” as a common framework allowing for better comparability of ocean observing and monitoring setups across Europe, a starting point for national communication within the ocean observation community. It would thus bring together authorities and research institutes to clarify mandates and identify requirements for a more integrated ocean observing system.

JPI emphasised that these charts would be dynamic. Elections and reshuffles change responsibilities. Work is already underway on study of how observation works in different regions. Other laws, such as the Shellfish Waters Directive and Bathing Waters Directive, could be added. Sweden had already identified some potential improvements.

Belgium pointed out that the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive required a lot of monitoring and wondered whether it would be covered by the Ocean Act. MARE replied that they were still looking at options. They suggested that the national representatives in the Council Working Group on Maritime Affairs be forewarned of the coming of the Ocean Act.

Germany and Greece have completed their charts. The first levels of Belgium are nearly ready. As in Germany, the sharing of responsibility at a federal and regional level are a complication. They wondered how to code the IMO MARPOL regulations. 

Ireland said they exercise was making them realise how complex the situation is. They were looking at the budget breakdown as a guide to who is doing what.

MARE asked that any suggestions for additions or modifications to the chart be sent to them within two weeks of receiving this summary of the meeting. The group agrees to proceed with the compilation of the charts and the support of JPI.

7. Next Meeting 

Poland will host the next meeting of the expert group in spring 2026 in Sopot where the Institute of Oceanology has been established since 1953.